SFOR Plans New Force Structure in BiH (Troop reductions in Bosnia)

Southeast European Times in Sarajevo | 12 January 2004 | Antonio Prlenda

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In accordance with the decision by NATO defence ministers to reduce the Alliance's presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), SFOR has confirmed that due to the improved security situation in the country it will reduce its military presence to about 7,000 soldiers by June 2004.

Each of the three SFOR brigades will be renamed as a Multi-National Task Force (MNTF) and consist of approximately 1,800 soldiers. Many of SFOR's armoured and heavy weapons will be withdrawn from BiH. The changes will allow SFOR to shift from being a peace stabilisation mission to a conflict deterrence force. It will maintain situation awareness and use rifle companies for focused tasks.

"The force will be lighter but still visible, robust and effective enough," said SFOR Spokesperson Canadian Army Captain Dave Sullivan. "At this time, troop-contributing nations have yet to determine their future contributions to the new force. They will release their numbers once decisions are made by each of their respective national governments. Most decisions are expected to be announced in January 2004."

According to recent announcements from SFOR, the restructuring will take advantage of the planned troop rotations. The first reductions are likely to be in Multi-National Brigade North West and will be announced by that brigade shortly. US-led Multi-National Brigade North (MNB-N) has said it is now conducting its future force structure planning and will begin to implement it in April. At that time, the US 34th Infantry Division will transfer its authority to the 38th Infantry Division.

The US contingent is expected to account for as much as 15 per cent of SFOR, a figure which is consistent with current US policy in the BiH area of operations.

"SFOR's principal purpose is to contribute to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment that allows the international community and BiH authorities to develop accountable governments that promote peace, stability and respect for human rights, economic well-being and self sufficiency. SFOR is also committed to supporting the rule of law throughout BiH and supports the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia's (ICTY) efforts to apprehend personnel indicted for war crimes and hand them over to the appropriate authorities," Sullivan said.

Currently SFOR consists of approximately 12,000 soldiers from almost 30 countries. In Multi-National Brigade South East, headquartered at Mostar, there are approximately 4,100 soldiers; in Multi-National Brigade North West, with its headquarters at Banja Luka, there are 3,500. In MNB-N, headquartered at Tuzla, there are approximately 3,000 multi-national soldiers.

As has always been the practice so far, SFOR is led by a US General officer. According to data provided by a SFOR spokesman, the US military contingent makes up as much as 20 per cent of the total SFOR force. The largest other contingents are Italy's, numbering 1,400 troops, and Germany's and Canada's, with approximately 1,300 soldiers each.

The NATO-led multi-national military force, which had 60,000 troops when it first arrived in BiH at the end of 1995, already went through a process of reduction at the end of 2002. It now numbers 13,000. As part of the earlier reduction, three multi-national divisions reduced their size to the brigade level. Multi-national contingents have been restructured in 10 Battle Groups, with 750 troops each.

Since October 2002, the SFOR commander has no longer been a four star general. A year after that, US Army Lieutenant General William E. Ward, a three-star general, transferred his authority as SFOR commander to US Army Major General Virgil L. Packett, a two-star general. The change is consistent with the force's smaller size.

According to Sullivan, "our common aim remains to gradually transfer the responsibility for peace implementation to the local population and its institutions."

The force reductions are feasible not only because the overall situation allows it but also because, in case of sudden contingencies, the COMSFOR can rely on the Operational Reserve Force. This is a multi-national professional force which has already been deployed in the Balkan theatre of operations. It is designed to be a mobile and versatile "Over The Horizon Force" capable of reinforcing those forces already present in BiH, Kosovo and/or Macedonia.

The forces are co-ordinated by the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe (CINCSOUTH), who is the Joint Force Commander within the NATO Headquarters responsible for Balkan Operations. The US Navy Admiral Gregory G. Johnson is the current CINCSOUTH. Should armed conflict break out in the region, Johnson and the NATO commanders in BiH, Kosovo or Macedonia can count on Strategic Reserve Forces (SRF) in several NATO and partner countries, ready to deploy by sea, air and land. Since 1998, the SRF conducts an annual training exercise, Dynamic Response, which traditionally takes place in September.

According to a recent MNB-N press release, SFOR will consider further adjustment of its size to 7,000 troops, as well as possible termination of the current mission by the end of 2004.

"The changes would probably enable transition into a new NATO mission [with NATO Command at Sarajevo], which would provide assistance and mediator role, and also a new EU mission", said the press release.

In his farewell visit to Sarajevo several weeks ago, NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson said that the feasibility of possible EU military mission in BiH will be carefully analysed. He said that the final decision would not be made without official discussions with local authorities in BiH.

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Looks like a little over a thousand U.S. troops left in Bosnia by this summer and perhaps almost none by the end of the year.

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